Cautious Czechs shackle Ronaldo but get caught out by Conceicao

The Czech Republic were made to pay for a wary methodology intended to contain Cristiano Ronaldo when late substitute Francisco Conceicao sprung up to score a stoppage-time objective and give Portugal a 2-1 win in their Euro 2024 opener on Tuesday. The Czech bet - surrendering ownership and guarding in numbers - looked set to pay off with a significant point in their most memorable gathering game, yet a catastrophic shutting half-hour from protector Robin Hranac saw them leave Leipzig with basically nothing. Ronaldo may never again have hazardous speed, and safeguards quit any pretense of gnawing on his bluffs and step-overs quite a while in the past, however he holds an uncanny feeling of timing while heading the ball and from the very outset asked his colleagues for crosses into the crate. The Czechs knew precisely exact thing he needed to do and their whole course of action appeared to focus on preventing him from scoring. Generally, it worked. Mentor Ivan Hasek conveyed a line of five players, and once in a while six, across the back, sending one man carrying out to cover the player under lock and key and afterward dashing once again into position to close the creases in which Ronaldo typically flourishes. The 39-year-old forward persevered, lifting his hand to search for gets and through balls, yet a large number of floods of Portuguese assaults foundered on the unshakable Czech backline. Having not had one exertion on track all game, the Czechs some way or another started to lead the pack thanks to an eminent Lukas Provod strike in the 62nd moment yet, as opposed to quieting their players down, the objective appeared to make them lose their self-control completely, and when the wheels fell off, Ronaldo was rarely excessively far away. STRIKING DISTANCE The Portugal skipper was hiding inside striking distance when Czech goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek spilled the ball against the legs of the hapless Hranac and into the net. Then, at that point, Ronaldo's header off the post that saw Diogo Jota score what appeared to be the balancer was the very sort of ball he needed throughout the evening. The VAR mediated however and the objective was chalked off for offside, yet Ronaldo continued running and pointing, sure that the Czechs would at last shrivel, and they did. The victor came in stoppage time as Hranac bungled a leeway and, with Ronaldo drawing in the remainder of the Czech guard to himself like a magnet, Conceicao, who had come on two minutes sooner for Vitinha, cleared the ball home. Hasek's side might have lost in stoppage time yet its video will turn into the layout for any group attempting to beat Portugal at the Euros, such was the viability of their strategies. The Portuguese overwhelmed the game, enlisting 70% belonging, 13 corners and 19 endeavors, yet it took an own objective and a protective goof to fix all their great work. For Portugal mentor Roberto Martinez it will be a reminder. Ronaldo can in any case impact the result of games even without contacting the ball, however on the off chance that he can be shackled this effectively then his group might battle.